For our October issue of the Oak Cliff Advocate, we focused on the literary hub that is our neighborhood. If you are looking for nonprofits or city resources that promote literacy, here is a round up of options to check out.

Apprentice Creative Space

Apprentice Creative Space is a literary nonprofit and coworking space located in the Oak Cliff Assembly. The nonprofit aims to create a community for creatives, providing free education programs and inclusive community events.

Click here to learn more about the nonprofit’s origins from the April 2026 edition of the Oak Cliff Advocate.

ARCO

Activating Reading Communities Organization (ARCO) is the nonprofit arm of Whose Books. ARCO’s mission is to “activate Dallas-Fort Worth’s reading culture,” through expanding book access and ownership, inspire positive reading experiences and activate literary third spaces. 

There is also the ARCO Bookmobile that travels to identified book deserts in the DFW metroplex, partnering with local community organizations for programming like story time. Click here to partner with ARCO.

Dallas Public Library

The Dallas Public Library system has a plethora of programs available for youth and adults to attend or volunteer with when it comes to literacy, including storytimes, reading challenges, and book clubs. 

There are also adult learning opportunities now in partnership with Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas Adult Education and Literacy Consortium that will begin in October at six library locations. Interested individuals in the adult education and literacy program can fill out this form.

Plus, September is Library Card Sign-up Month. Click here to learn what you need to get yours from any Dallas Public Library location or register for a card online. 

Little Free Library

Though based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Little Free Library is a nonprofit that has a global network of book-exchange boxes coordinated by volunteers. The vision of Little Free Library is to provide a book for every reader in every community

There are many Little Free Libraries throughout Oak Cliff that you can support. You can use this map to check out some of the spots to take a book, leave a book or both in our neighborhood. 

Want to make your own Little Free Library? Click here for details on how to start one.

Readers 2 Leaders

Readers 2 Leaders is a nonprofit that aims to create stronger readers by supporting both the children and the adults that help them learn. The organization provides literacy instruction to students while helping families, educators and community partners with the knowledge, tools and strategies to best serve children’s reading development. 

Programs include tutoring, summer camps, adult literacy classes, caregiver literacy workshops, educator coaching, curriculum implementation support and professional development. Click here for a list of upcoming events or learn more about volunteering at this link.

The Concilio 

The Concilio, located on Fort Worth Avenue, offers programs in health, education, financial literacy and economic mobility for Latino families. 

One of the programs available with The Concilio is Parents as Leaders (PAL), a 9-week program for parents of children ages 0-7 that helps build early learning skills such as literacy, language, motor development and social-emotional growth. Click here to see our previous coverage of The Concilio in the Oak Cliff Advocate or apply to volunteer with The Concilio at this link.

The Writer’s Garret

For 30 years, The Writer’s Garret has been working to connect “people through the imaginative power of language.” Each year, over 3,000 people take part in the programming available, such as submitting a poem to the Common Language Project, attending a Dallas Is Lit! Event or participating in a workshop or discussion.

If you’re looking to keep up with the events from The Writer’s Garret, click here to view the calendar. And if you’re curious, click here to learn more about the Dallas Is Lit! Literary Festival that happened in May.